Accessibility links
Pope Benedict XVI Visits the U.S. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church is visiting the U.S. for the first time since being elected pope. Some American Catholics express enthusiasm and skepticism about a leader few say they really know.
Special Series

Pope Benedict XVI Visits the U.S.

Pope Tweaks His Image on Six-Day Trip to U.S.

Pope Benedict XVI ended his six-day trip to the United States with a Mass in New York. When the pope arrived last week, most American Catholics knew little about him. But the 81-year-old pontiff seems to have changed his image and America's vision of the Roman Catholic Church.

Pope Tweaks His Image on Six-Day Trip to U.S.

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89803681/89803638" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Composing for the Pope: A Church Music Primer

Throughout history, the papacy has been a powerful patron of music, from Gregorian chant to modern Masses. Historian Robert Greenberg notes that much of the finest music has come from composers associated with the Sistine Chapel.

Composing for the Pope: A Church Music Primer

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89775986/89790958" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Benedict Holds Stadium Mass for N.Y.C. Faithful

Pope Benedict XVI concluded his U.S. visit today with a tour of New York City. The pontiff stopped this morning at Ground Zero and gave a blessing at the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks there. In the afternoon he presided over a Mass for a capacity crowd at Yankee Stadium.

Benedict Holds Stadium Mass for N.Y.C. Faithful

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89796999/89796988" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Analysis

Nun Weighs in on Pope's U.S. Visit

Sister Joan Chittister, a Benedictine nun from Erie, Pa., talks to Liane Hansen about Pope Benedict XVI's visit and reacts to his meeting with the clerical victims of sexual abuse and his opinions on the role of women in the Catholic Church.

Nun Weighs in on Pope's U.S. Visit

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89790989/89790952" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Pope Pays Solemn Visit to New York's Ground Zero

Pope Benedict XVI wraps up his first trip to the United States with a visit to Ground Zero in New York City. Correspondent Mike Pesca talks with Liane Hansen about the mood as the pope prayed at the site of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

Pope Pays Solemn Visit to New York's Ground Zero

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89790983/89790950" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Pope Delivers Serious Message to Young Catholics

Pope Benedict XVI joined 20,000 teens at a rally in Yonkers, N.Y., Saturday night. Benedict's predecessor, John Paul II, was extremely popular with young Catholics. The rally's atmosphere was light, but the current pope's message was not.

Pope Delivers Serious Message to Young Catholics

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89790986/89790951" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Pope Urges Youth to Have Hope in Jesus

Pope Benedict XVI continues his tour of the United States on Saturday. He began the day with a Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and then spent the afternoon at a mass rally for young people. His opening act? Kelly Clarkson.

Pope Urges Youth to Have Hope in Jesus

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89787378/89787371" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Is Pope Signaling Change in Abuse Policy?

In his first visit to the U.S., Pope Benedict XVI has addressed the issue of clergy sex abuse several times. Canonical law expert Nicholas Cafardi says he sees signs that the pope may be weighing changes to church law that will make it easier to deal with the abuse problem.

Is Pope Signaling Change in Abuse Policy?

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89785601/89785556" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Pope Pleases Faithful on U.S. Trip

Pope Benedict XVI wins support with his warm demeanor during a visit to the U.S. His speeches to bishops and Catholic educators and his meeting with victims of clergy sexual abuse, have pleased both conservatives and liberals.

Pope Pleases Faithful on U.S. Trip

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89771242/89771208" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Pope Lauds Human Rights, Cooperation at U.N.

Pope Benedict XVI told the U.N. General Assembly that strengthening human rights should be the key to solving the world's problems and that nations should guard against a relativistic interpretation of moral principles. Later Friday, Pope Benedict will make history as he becomes the first pontiff to visit an American synagogue.

Alex Chadwick and Madeleine Brand

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89760113/89760861" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Pope's Meeting with Abused Disturbs Some Victims

As Pope Benedict XVI continues his first visit to the United States as pontiff, he met Thursday with victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. Other victims were outraged that the pope would meet with such a small, hand-picked group.

Pope's Meeting with Abused Disturbs Some Victims

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89750313/89750275" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Pope to Educators: Catholic Identity is About Faith

Pope Benedict met Thursday with a private audience of Catholic educators at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. His message was about the nature and cultivation of Catholic identity on campus.

Pope to Educators: Catholic Identity is About Faith

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89750316/89750276" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Why Does the Pope Wear Red Shoes?

Pope Benedict XVI's ruby red shoes are drawing plenty of attention as he visits Washington, D.C. Lawrence Cunningham, professor of theology at the University of Notre Dame, offers insights on why the pontiff favors the color.

Why Does the Pope Wear Red Shoes?

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89732516/89732485" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Pope Praises America at D.C. Mass

Pope Benedict XVI praises America as a land of opportunity during his first public Mass in the U.S. Tens of thousands of worshippers filled the new baseball stadium in Washington, D.C., for an open-air service.

Pope Praises America at D.C. Mass

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89732508/89732484" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sex-Abuse Victims Meet Quietly with Pontiff

Pope Benedict XIV meets behind closed doors with at least two victims of the clergy sex-abuse scandal. The meeting took place after the public Mass on Thursday in Washington, D.C.

Sex-Abuse Victims Meet Quietly with Pontiff

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89732511/89732483" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Clergy Abuse Victims Meet with Pope

Pope Benedict XVI met Thursday with victims of clergy sexual abuse. Two victims spoke to NPR after the meeting about what they discussed with the pope and the changes they want to see in the Catholic Church.

Clergy Abuse Victims Meet with Pope

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89725072/89744706" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Pope Conducts Mass with Thousands in Washington

Pope Benedict XVI presided over an open-air Mass of 45,000 people at a Washington, D.C., baseball stadium, where hundreds of voices sang out to the masses during the pope's historic visit to the nation's capital. The German-born pope also acknowledged the pain and harm done to victims of priests caught up in a sex scandal.

Father Tom Reese and Lynn Neary

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89722779/89713200" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Talk with Catholic Educators on Pope's D.C. Agenda

Pope Benedict will address a group of Catholic educators Thursday about what it means to be a Catholic institution. First, though, he celebrated Mass with tens of thousands of worshippers in the nation's capital. It's part of his six-day visit to the U.S.

Father Tom Reese and Lynn Neary

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89713218/89713200" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Mass with Pope Draws 46,000 to D.C. Stadium

A Mass with Pope Benedict XVI will draw 46,000 people to the Nationals baseball stadium Thursday in Washington, D.C. The pope is spending six days in the United States. It's his first visit since becoming pontiff in 2005.

Lynn Neary and Barbara Bradley Hagerty

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/89713258/89713400" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Browse archive or search npr.org